NEST-egg for rescue service

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Students from Kaipara’s Westmount School in Maungaturoto have raised a staggering $28,060 for the Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST), and were rewarded for their efforts with a helicopter ride and lesson in the organisation’s specially built simulator on Wednesday last week.

The students flew into the school from NEST’s Whangarei base at 9am. A special assembly was organised to formally hand over the funds, but not before other students witnessed the helicopter and a couple of their school friends fly in.

The fundraising was an initiative run by the school’s student executive, led by Brad Boakes and assisted by Caleb Smith, Jeannie Simpkin and Natalya Wearmouth.

Brad contacted NEST to arrange the fundraising drive, and negotiated the helicopter ride and simulator training as an incentive, which definitely helped motivate the group to hit their target. He organised a flyer drop and had students call every house and business in the community to rally support.

Natalya decided to help with the campaign as she often sees the helicopter flying over her school and wanted to ensure it was always available to help her community when called upon.

“We knew that the day-to-day running of NEST was extremely expensive and that funds needed to support the operation of the helicopters were obtained from the Northland community,” Natalya said. “We thought we should do our bit to support this organisation because you never know when you might need their help.”
 

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HIGH FLYERS: Westmount students Kylie Stewart (left) and Jeannie Simpkin have a rescue helicopter experience during a special visit by the air service last week to collect a sizeable donation. And below, a grand entry on the school courts.